Week 10

Morgan Bayda's An Open Letter to Educators

This week I read a post by Morgan Bayda called An Open Letter to Educators, I also watched a video that was included on the post my Dan Brown. Morgan and Dan expressed their views about University teaching. They both thought that having a professor standing up at the front of the classroom lecturing facts and then giving tests was the wrong way to approach teaching. Dan actually dropped out of college, not because he is a dead beat or because he was failing but because he believes that his "schooling interfered with his learning." They both mentioned how numerous times they had bought books for classes and never even opened them. According to filife.com the average student spends $634 on textbooks per semester! I know personally I have spent more than that. That amount begs the question "how many of those textbooks were actually used?" It is crazy to think about how much money was wasted on those books when you can get the same information for free from the internet like Dan said. Here are my thoughts on what was posted and what I commented: "As I was reading your post and also watching Dan Brown's video the only thought that kept coming to my mind was "this is deja vu." What I mean by that is even though I am a part time student the classes that I take are with approx. 20 students and 1 professor. There is a little more one on one interaction between the student and the professor, but the professor is still standing up and teaching with a power point, overhead projector, white board, etc. We are still required to learn the "scribbled notes of facts" and take a test to receive a grade. Call me old-fashioned or a person who does not like change, but I like the fact of having a teacher teach me facts and testing me on them to receive a grade. The part that I like about Dr. Strange's class is that when he his trying to teach his students he is being interactive with us. He is teaching us how to become a great teachers in the future by not necessarily showing us step for step how to do something. He gives us the tools to use while also giving us a chance to be creative while interacting with the other students in EDM310 and from around the world.

I have felt cheated several times, in the past, when I have paid hundreds of dollars on text books and I don't even crack them like you! In my opinion, some things do need to change in our education system, but then again there are a few things that don't need to change.

This was a very challenging post. I encourage all educators both current and future to read this post to understand what is going to happen if we like it or not. Technology has already changed our lives, but it is not done yet!

Comment4Kids

This week I commented on Hannah's blog post about her cat. The post was actually a little poem about her cat that chases a rat, and he is a fat cat! Here is what I commented:

"You did a great job on your poem! I love the fact that your words at the end of each line rhymed. I also have a cat, but he is not fat. He likes to run after birds! Keep up the great job!"